The spirited world of mixology

GSN Backbar Review: September 7-11, 2015

Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery has unveiled its new Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon, featuring a blend of 7-year-old rye, 7-year-old wheated and 12-year-old rye whiskies. Limited to 6,000 bottles, the new entry will officially debut later this month during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and retail at around $105.

Diageo North America, which earlier this year released a single-grain Scotch called Haig Single Grain ($50), is readying the launch in October of a second all-grain brand called Port Dundas, named for one of the Diageo-owned distilleries. Port Dundas will be offered in both 12-year-old and 18-year-old expressions, bottled at 43% abv with no prices set yet.

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Laphroaig single malt brand, Beam Suntory is introducing a Laphroaig 32-year-old to the U.S. later this month. Retailing at $1,200, it will join the Laphroaig 15-year-old ($80), which has been on shelves since July. Meanwhile, Beam announced that supplies of the Laphroaig 18-year-old ($110) have run dry and that the product is no longer being offered. No replacement is expected next year, the company said.

Beam Suntory will also introduce a new Bowmore single malt later this month. Called Bowmore Mizunara, it carries no age statement and is bottled at 53.9% abv, with a retail price of $1,000. Aged in the rare Japanese wood, the new Mizunara expression is limited to just 33 cases for the entire U.S., and there are no plans for more.

Pernod Ricard’s Jameson Irish whiskey is rolling out its new Caskmates extension nationwide in the U.S. The brainchild of Dave Quinn, master of whiskey science at Jameson Distillery, and Shane Long, head brewer at Irish microbrewery Franciscan Well, Caskmates was created after Jameson casks were sent to Franciscan Well to age the brewer’s Irish stout beer. The ex-Irish stout barrels were then sent back to Jameson Distillery, where Jameson Original was aged in the returned casks, creating Caskmates. The new expression, which began shipping in late August, is priced at $29.99 and will be available nationwide.

Louisville, Kentucky-based Copper & Kings American Brandy Company is releasing its first aged apple brandy expression this fall.The 100-proof blend of copper pot-distilled apple brandies was aged in ex-Bourbon barrels and Oloroso Sherry butts and Sherry casks, with the resulting liquid a minimum of four years old. Copper & Kings Craft Distilled American Apple Brandy will retail about $40 a 750-ml. bottle in the 20 markets within the company’s distribution footprint across the South, Midwest and Northeast.

Washington state’s Woodinville Whiskey Co. is introducing its flagship Straight Bourbon. The five-year-old Bourbon was made of ingredients solely sourced from Washington, and was aged in-state in full-size barrels. Retailing at around $55 a bottle, the new entry will be hitting retailers by the middle of this month.

The Teeling Whiskey Co. has debuted Teeling Single Malt—the third addition to its range of non-age statement Irish whiskies—nationwide. Retailing at $65, Teeling Single Malt is made with malt whiskey aged for up to 23 years, which has been matured in five different types of casks, including Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 46%-abv entry joins existing Small Batch and Single Grain labels in Teeling’s premium Irish whiskey portfolio.

Bacardi USA is readying the release of single malt Scotches from distilleries that contribute to the company’s Dewar’s blended Scotch brand.The single malts are slated for a U.S. market rollout in October and November. The Aultmore will be introduced in 12-year-old ($50) and 18-year-old ($175) expressions, followed by the Deveron with the same age statements and prices. The final release will be the Royal Brackla, the first distillery in the 19th century to receive a royal warrant. It will be offered in a 12-year-old version at $60 and a 16-year-old at $200.

OnOctober 1, Mauertown, Virginia-based Filibuster Distillery will release Bourbon-rye blend The Boondoggler, aged in American oak and finished in a mix of wine barrels including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pedro Ximenez and Fino Sherry. Filibuster says the whiskey is expected to draw experimental drinkers with its eclectic mix of barrel types. Filibuster’s other offerings include Dual Cask Bourbon and Dual Cask Rye, both finished in red and white wine-seasoned French oak.